This is an optimized Skype for Business / Cloud PBX configuration for Polycom VVX phones.
You should use this only as an example for your business (do not directly point your phones here; it’ll use our PaperTrail logging, etc.).
This sets some default, sane configurations for Skype for Business (er Microsoft Phone System / Cloud Voice / Calling Plan or whatever they’re calling it) for Polycom VVX-series phones.
These settings are all detailed in two places:
| The Polycom UC Software manual, specifically version: UC Software 5.6.0 | July 2017 | 3725-42644-002A. |
| The Polycom UC Software with Skype for Business Deployment Guide, specifically version: UC Software 5.6.0 | July 2017 | 3725-49078-018A |
There’s also some inspiration from this respository.
The shared directory information (000000000000-directory.xml) is detailed here.
It’s not clear this is actually needed in recent OS versions, but it’s included here for older devices/software revisions.
However, the license is a free license from Polycom that enables Corporate Directory, Visual Conference Management, and USB Call Recording (it expires on 15th March 2022).
This is well described & provided for free on the Polycom Local Directory FAQ page.
I auto-deploy this configuration using both DHCP and also the Skype for Business / PowerShell route.
Deploying via DHCP lets you buy new phones, and have them “just work” – especially when using BToE.
Polycom VVX phones respect either DHCP 160 or 161 based on if their SKU is a Lync / Skype SKU.
Setting both DHCP 160 and 161 works best; then if you’ve bought VVX phones without Skype licenses, you can automatically provision and assign licenses.
(It can be much cheaper to buy used non-Skype Polycom phones, then buy the Skype license packs, e.g. 5150-49254-001)
Download the Skype PowerShell module, then:
$sfboSession = New-CsOnlineSession -UserName "user@example.com"
Import-PSSession $sfboSession
Set-CsIPPhonePolicy -LocalProvisioningServerAddress semenko.github.io/skype-polycom-config -LocalProvisioningServerType HTTPS
Other things you probably want to enable (you can see all the options via Get-CsIPPhonePolicy):
Set-CsIPPhonePolicy -EnableDeviceUpdate $true -EnableExchangeCalendaring $true
Set-CsIPPhonePolicy -EnableBetterTogetherOverEthernet $true -BetterTogetherOverEthernetPairingMode Auto